Customer Reviews

Shadowplay

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Like one of the old Ace doubles, this is actually two short books back to back. Read one, flip the book over, and you're on the first page of a new story. Unlike the Ace doubles, the two match closely in themes and especially in artistic style.

The first side I saw holds a story by Christina Z, with Ashley Wood's art. Have you ever looked at the front page news and asked yourself, "People just can't be that hateful and vicious - can they?" Their answer is: No, the worst comes from others, immortals who delight in human carnage on a planetary scale. The second side in my reading order (Amber Benson and Ben Templesmith) also describes vampires recruiting human innocents into their circle. The moral of this little story is that if you are recruiting for evil, you should think hard about just how evil you really are - wouldn't if be the pits if the new recruit were more evil than you?

The stories are strikingly similar in their narration and artwork. Both scripts are brief, and suggest more than they state. Also, both have nasty turns that I normally don't associate with female writers. The Z/Wood piece will raise the hackles of anyone sensitive to misogynistic images; the other tends more towards blood'n'guts. Both use jagged, atmospheric visuals well suited to their nightmare landscapes. Both use vivid imagery to carry the reader forward - a good thing, because the characterizations and events could use the help.

This one isn't for the kiddies, or for some adults as long as we're on the topic. If it were a movie, it would be struggling to hold onto its R rating. I like it because I like the image-heavy style, and I find myself properly revolted when revulsion is the writers' goal. It may not be vor every reader, though.

//wiredweird

Different! Basically well done but not what I expected. Art work of Ashley Wood story is graphic and very adult oriented to say the least. The Amber Benson story was more to my expectations but both lacked a smooth continuity for the story line and at times left me with a "Huh?!?" feeling which admittedly may be more my own issues then the authors.